53 minutes ago
22 hours ago
Jul 3, 2024
Aug 12, 2022
Apr 12, 2021
The Princess Academy
- Grace Donahue
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 31 minutes ago
SHANNON HALE
Age Range: 10+
Reading Level: Grade/Middle School
SUMMARY:
Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.
Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires to be chosen and win the heart of her childhood best friend. But when bandits seek out the academy to kidnap the future princess, Miri must rally the girls together and use a power unique to the mountain dwellers to save herself and her classmates.
Review:
I loved Princess Academy! I honestly did not expect to like this book as much as I did, especially since it is meant for a younger audience, but I really enjoyed it. I read it at 21 and my nine-year-old cousin also read and loved it, so I think it is one of those books that can be enjoyed by a pretty wide age range.
This book was clean, well written, and very easy to read and get into. I also think the cover is really cute, which is always a plus! There is a little bit of romance that I thought was really sweet, but it is definitely not the main focus of the story.
I also really liked the messages in this book. A big theme is education and the importance of learning, but there are also themes of family, community, hard work, and perseverance. One theme I especially liked was about self-worth. Miri feels like she isn't as helpful or important as the rest of her family, and throughout the story she learns that her worth is not based on how useful she is to other people.
Miri is also a really good main character. She wants to help other people even when they haven't always been nice to her, and I liked seeing the friendships between the girls develop throughout the book. Some of them are pretty mean to each other at first, but there is a lot of growth and forgiveness by the end.
I would definitely recommend Princess Academy, especially for grade school and middle school girls. It is sweet and wholesome while still having adventure and enough going on to keep the story interesting. It also received a Newbery Honor in 2006!
Things to mentions: There is no swearing or sexual content. There is a little bit of very innocent romance, including hand-holding and a kiss on the cheek. Toward the end of the book, the girls are kidnapped and there is some violence. They are threatened and hit, but nothing is graphic or gruesome, and I thought it was appropriate for the age group. The fantasy world has its own religion, with brief mentions of priests, a chapel, and a “creator god,” but this is not a major part of the story.
Click here to buy!
Hey there! 📚 Have you had the chance to dive into The Princess Academy yet? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts! And hey, if you have any book recommendations for me to review, please do share. Your visit means a lot to me - thanks for stopping by! 🌟
Comments